Ph.D. student Taiquitha “Tai” Robins put her best foot forward for Biomedical Informatics as she crisscrossed the county in fall 2024, showcasing her research at conferences and interviews. Supported by her mentors, Christopher Wardell, Ph.D., and Tremaine Williams, Ed.D., she attended three events.
SIAM Conference on Mathematics of Data Science
Tai presented her research, “Advancing Risk Stratification: Characterizing Multimorbidity Clusters to Enhance Comorbidity Indexes for Diverse Patient Populations,” during the SIAM poster sessions and for the Broader Engagement (BE) Wrap-Up oral presentations at the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) Conference in Atlanta, Oct. 20-25. A grant from the BE Program at the Sustainable Horizons Institute funded her travel.
“The conference expanded my understanding of the application of mathematics to data science,” Tai said. “One session, for instance, delved into the mathematical analysis of data curvature, which was fascinating for someone like me who doesn’t have a math-focused background.”
BE aims to engage people underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to promote inclusion within the scientific community. BE participants attend a rich scientific program that includes numerous interdisciplinary technical sessions, plenaries, and discussions that help advance knowledge and skillsets. The BE program also fosters a sense of belonging in the community through a program orientation, mentoring, small learning groups and motivational workshops.
Stanford Postdoctoral Recruitment Initiative in Sciences and Medicine (PRISM)
Tai also received funding to visit Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., present her work, interview for a lab position and explore postdoctoral opportunities on campus, Nov. 4-8, as part of PRISM. While the program is open to all, it aims to attract students from backgrounds underrepresented in science.
During her visit, Tai presented her research to the Food for Health Equity Lab led by epidemiologist Lisa Goldman Rosas, Ph.D., MPH. She also engaged with postdoctoral fellows in Stanford’s Propel and PRISM programs and gained insights into the academic environment and community.
“The conversations I had with postdocs and faculty members were invaluable,” she said. “We spent so much time in conversations that I barely took any photos. It was an enriching experience and exciting to see how my research aligns with ongoing projects at Stanford.”
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS)
Tai’s final conference of the season was ABRCMS, held Nov. 13-17 in Pittsburgh, Penn. ABRCMS is a premier event for advancing diversity in STEM, drawing participants from various academic and professional levels.
Tai presented her research at a poster session, volunteered at an exhibit booth representing the UAMS Graduate School, and served as a judge for three undergraduate poster sessions. The UAMS Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) funded her travel.
“Judging undergraduate posters gave me a glimpse of some of the exciting new research trends in public health and provided me with the opportunity to offer feedback based on my experiences,” Tai said. “During the graduate poster session, I found future collaborative opportunities as I spoke with scientists in the field. It was also rewarding to guide students who are considering careers in biomedical informatics, biomedicine, data science and other STEM pathways. While at the exhibit booth, I spoke with three students who are actively applying to UAMS as their number one choice”